Justice Institute students learn hands-on in downtown Victoria

Students from the Justice Institute of British Columbia’s primary care paramedic program practised hands-on how to manage medical patients and transport them into ambulances Monday morning in downtown Victoria.

As part of the eight- to-10 month program, students are taught pre-employment skills, according to Canadian Medical Association and paramedic academic standards, said Lisette Robinson, regional training co-ordinator for the Justice Institute’s school of health sciences.

“Everyday they have different (learning) objectives,” she said.

The program includes scenarios and simulations in addition to classroom lectures.

“They start off in a room inside of the building with a patient who is complaining or having maybe a chest pain, or maybe is having a heart attack,” Robinson said. “And maybe one of their peers would be acting out a script and the instructor would prepare them as if they were being dispatched to a call. They treat them according to their protocols and package them up.”

The program accepts students every January, April and September. For more information visit www.jibc.ca.